The invention is in the field of physical fitness and exercise units and particularly relates to portable units for use in the home.
The benefits to the body of a regular program of physical exercise have become increasingly apparent, and this awareness has spawned the development and marketing of numerous exercise devices to be used in conjunction with or as a substitute for natural exercises such as jogging, running, bicycling and swimming. One of these devices is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,327, in which the user situates himself on a platform disposed on an inclined plane and reciprocates his body weight up and down the incline with his arms by means of a rope and pulley system, or by engaging his feet in a foot strap jointed to the frame and using his legs.
The general concept of the above referenced unit is excellent, and permits the user to specifically stress an enormous number of muscles in a surprising variety of positions without loading the heart more than is desired. However, in spite of these advantages certain features of the unit limit its utility. Salient among these design drawbacks are the foot strap structure, which has been found to be quite abrasive to the feet, which are strapped to an unyielding platform, and the fact that in its implemented embodiment the bulk of the structure comprises two inseparable hinged halves rendering it heavy and difficult for a lightweight person to move.